bbq

The ‘hood’s whole animal butcher The Meat Hook (397 Graham Ave) has brought back their summer backyard BBQ series on Thursdays through mid-September. Each week they’re collaborating with a different restaurant and brewery to bring you some tasty grub and bevs. This week, Thursday, August 16th, they’ll be collaborating with Okonomi/Yuji Ramen(150 Ainslie St) and local KCBC beer. Continue reading →

The biggest ever Sumo Stew is coming to East Williamsburg next Tuesday (7/17) at Arrogant Swine (173 Morgan Avenue) from 6-9pm. The event is hosted by photographer Michael Harlan Turkell and Harry Rosenblum, the owner of The Brooklyn Kitchen. The pair teamed up to create a Japan-centered foodie event series (they’ve done more than a dozen at this point) featuring bowls of chankonabe (sumo stew) as the main dish, which sumo wrestlers make and chow down on before a match. And, of course, sumo wrestling matches are live streamed during the evening. This round of Sumo Stew will feature a North Carolina BBQ-style Whole Hog chankonabe, in collaboration with BBQ joint Arrogant Swine.Tickets and complete event info here.

The tickets are $60, but that gets you a whole lot of Japanophile fun. Each participant gets a bento box, bowl of chankonabe, and 2 drink tickets to be used for sake, shochu, or a whisky cocktail – and round after round of sumo. Plus, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Japan Society. Here’s a detailed list of all the cool things you’ll get:

Join La Reina Verde (The Green Queen), the superhero fighting for new parkland on the Southside of Williamsburg, and Friends of BQGreen, for a FreeBlock Party this Saturday, 6/16 from 12-5!

Friends of BQGreen has been working to create a “park out of thin air” over the BQE between South 3rd and South 5th Streets. The Green will incorporate Marcy Green and Rodney Park and include “3.5-acres of open space with a flower garden, a playground, a baseball diamond, barbecues, grassy and wooded areas, an indoor pool and a water play zone.”

Saturday’s celebration will take place on the future site of BQGreen and include Latin food, burgers, refreshments, DJ Gasolina, 2 bouncy castles, face painting and games and a few surprises!

What: Friends of BQGreen Block Party When: Saturday, 6/16, 12-5pm Where: The Bridge at South 5th Street between Marcy Avenue and Rodney St. Who: Everyone!!

Baste it, taste it and tweak it again. Showdown is a cookbook about feeding the conversation along with the person.

This week, we sat down with Greenpointer and self-described “meat-head” Jenn de la Vega to talk about how competing (and winning) local competitions sparked Showdown, the cookbook.

GP: Hey Jenn! Tell us about Showdown.

De la Vega: Showdown is a compilation of 100 recipes I’ve entered into competitions. It’s not only about the ones that won. I think the big part of the story is the failure and journey along the way, building a strange cooking career out of competition, creativity and personal challenges.

GP: Did you always want to be a chef?

Jenn breaks out into a big grin.De la Vega: Actually, I never had intentions of being a chef.Continue reading →

Last week local BBQ joint Mable’s Smokehouse (44 Berry St.) hosted a Dolly Parton Lookalike Contest, and it was epic. One of our photographers, Kate Truisi, was on hand to snap some pics of the bustling scene.

If you’ve wandered by the San Damiano Mission (85 N 15th Street, formerly Holy Family Slovak Catholic Church) over the past two weekends, you’ve definitely seen some goings-on in their courtyard. That would be their summer outdoor taco pop-up, Holy Smoke NYC. Run by neighborhood restaurateur Josh Cohen and his Extra Fancy co-owner Mark Rancourt, Holy Smoke was created to raise money for the Greenpoint Community Organ Collective, the organ inside of San Damiano that is in desperate need of restoration. Every weekend this summer they’ll be hosting the pop-up with tacos, beer, rosé in a can, and even a little water feature to help keep you cool.Continue reading →

Tragically, Ria lost her battle with cancer three years ago, and Harold has been struggling to manage the bar alone. Among the reasons he cites for closing, he says “it’s tough being a small business in NYC right now”. Continue reading →

Neighborhood favorite The Diamond is turning eight this week and you’re invited to their party!

On Thursday they will be celebrating their Eighth Anniversary in style with the return of eight of their favorite draft beers from throughout Diamond’s lifetime. Between 5-8pm these will all be half-price, so the likes of Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted, Local Option Dampfbier, and Schneider Weisse can all be quaffed for a mere $4 a pint. Happy Birthday indeed.

But the party doesn’t stop here. Saturday July 4th they will be hosting their famous Independence Day Grill Out….where $5 gets you a giant bratwurst with potato salad and watermelon, accompanied by a rad patio soundtrack from vinyl junkies Jackson Mico and Proudfoot.

While you’re there be sure to have a quick round of shuffleboard and if you’re rilly good then think about signing up to the monthly tournaments…winners get their name on the esteemed plaque of fame!

Greenpoint’s favorite fishmonger is teaming up with Finger on the Pulse who’re hosting their first BBQ Blowout of the season this Tuesday May 12th on the sun-dappled patio at Williamsburg’s Good Company (10 Hope street).

A mere $10 will get you some magnificent grilled fish tacos with a side of fresh-made tortilla chips and salsa, as well as a Brooklyn Brewery beer and a shot of JamesonWhiskey. Barginzz! The event runs from 7.30pm-10.30pm.

Advance tickets are $10 and are available here, or can be purchased on the door for $15.